The Master Series: Fates Intertwined
by kiwiaboo
Summary: Two girls living in completely separate worlds - totally different, but very much the same. One has already achieved greatness, while the other has yet to follow what destiny has in store. Follow their paralleling lives as fate plays a cruel game to bring them together.
1. Prologue

_Rain was pouring from the sky and slamming into the earth. Heavy, black rainclouds blocked out the light of the moon as the storm raged on. Strong winds bent trees, whipping leaves off their branches and into the sky; each one as sharp as a small blade. Everything seemed to intensify as it hovered over a small village, nearly blowing it all away. A nearby river was threatening to overflow._

 _In this simple village, was a large castle that sat only a hundred yards from the left bank of this normally calm body of water. This castle housed the most noble family in the land. The residents of this magnificent structure were currently not worrying about the storm above them, but for their own safety. During the middle of the night, covered by the harsh weather, an evil entity attacked them. This demonic presence had its eye on one thing and one thing only, the newborn daughter of the nobles..._

"You must get her away from here! She must live!" A man's voice shouted above the winds. He was the head of the noble house. The man appeared to be in his mid-thirties and his snow-white hair was tied up into a ponytail. White strands flew away, lashing in his face as he shouted to his wife.

"Where shall I take her, though?! There isn't an easy escape!" The lady of the house yelled back. Her jet-black locks were sticking to her cheeks, soaking wet from the rainstorm. She and her husband were currently trying to protect their child, all the castle guards having been killed only moments ago. They stood in the courtyard, wondering where their child would be the safest. As the two fretted over what to do, the baby began to wail.

"The river! Send her down the river!"

"What if I don't make it in time? What if it catches up to me?"

"I'll hold it off! Just run!"

There was a sudden banging on nearby doors, announcing the arrival of the evil entity. With one last look at her husband, the woman covered the babe in a blanket and ran out the castle gates. She ran with all her might, just so that her child could live. The wind whipped her hair around her head, sticking to her wet cheeks as she sprinted through the forest. The mother found herself on the banks of the river in just a matter of seconds. Not hesitating for a single moment, the young woman spotted a woven basket sitting upside-down three feet away. It must have been left behind from one of the maids.

The woman quickly flipped over the basket and carefully set the little princess inside. She then pulled a small piece of paper from her robes and stuck it in between the blankets and the wall of the basket. The mother then scooted the basket towards the rushing water of the river, looking around to make sure nobody was around to follow the child down the river. Once she knew the coast was clear, the young woman took one last look at the sleeping child before sliding it slowly into the water. Immediately upon entry, it was carried away by the current, never to be seen again.

After watching the endless train of water, hoping that this was all a dream, the woman then stood and walked back to her castle; she didn't care if the evil entity was there anymore, her job was done. Upon her return, her husband ran to her at the gates and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Is it gone?" She asked quietly.

"Yes... I was able to inflict a great wound to it. We shouldn't be hearing anything about it for quite some time." The nobleman replied, kissing his wife's head.

The noble couple stood in the middle of a war-torn courtyard that was littered with the lifeless, bloody bodies of the castle guards. "Are you sure we've done the correct thing? Will she be fine on her own?" questioned the woman, thinking about their child.

"Of course, it was for her safety. Somebody kind and caring will find her and raise her until she is ready to fulfill her destiny. There is no need to worry."

"I sure hope you're right..."

* * *

The river's current eventually calmed after nearly three miles of traveling. A small, woven basket could be seen following along the river, not stopping for anything. Occasionally, it would be bumped by a partially submerged rock or dropped down a tiny waterfall, but all was fine. The basket's little package was still fast asleep, unaware that it had been on it's own on the river. Eventually, though, the basket stopped, stuck in a cluster of cattails.

By the time this happened, half a day had passed by since its departure, and the baby had finally woken up. Lonely and afraid, the baby cried for the parents that wouldn't come. At first, the cries went unheard, until a small being climbed over a nearby levy. It was a young boy at the age of one year who'd just learned to walk a month ago.

This boy was not the average one year old, but had the brain of a five year old. He was able to be proud of his accomplishment and found it reasonable to leave his grandfather's side and waddle over to the calm river. He'd not imagined that he'd hear crying down in the cattails though.

Curious to see what could be making such an annoying noise, the brown-haired child scuttled over in the direction of where the sound originated. Being so short, he couldn't see over or through the tall, thick cattails and began getting frustrated. "Daniel? Daniel! Where could that boy have run off to this time? Daniel!" The voice of the boy's grandfather came from over the levy.

Daniel looked over his shoulder to see the familiar, elderly man standing at the top of the hill. Ignoring the mysterious cries in the cattails, Daniel turned to call to his grandfather. "Gran-pa! Gran-pa!" He shouted, "Sun-fin's oh-fer he-er!"

Daniel's grandfather carefully walked down the steep slope of the levy and over to where his grandchild was. "What's that, my boy? Did you find something?"

The brown hair flopped around as the child nodded his head, pointing a small finger over into the aquatic weeds. His grandfather looked into the cattails and spotted a rather large, brown object. "What could that be?" The old man asked himself.

He signaled for Daniel to stay put as he went and reached for the odd, brown shape. Immediately after touching it, the grandfather knew it was a basket, but something small was moving around inside. Careful not to fall into the muddy bog, he heaved the basket up and over his head, setting it on the soft, green grass beside Daniel. The grandfather and child leaned in close to see what was wriggling underneath the small, red, silk cloth. Cautiously, the elder pulled a corner away, revealing the small pink head of a baby. "A bay-bee?" Daniel asked.

Daniel's grandfather didn't reply, but smiled at the infant. The tiny child giggled, its big, brown eyes sparkling though these people were complete strangers. Daniel reached his own hand in to pat the baby's head, already getting attached. A puny hand fought through the red, silk blanket and strongly gripped onto Daniel's slightly bigger hand. The young boy laughed happily, but his grandfather had gone serious.

On the baby's hand, spiraling from the center of its palm to halfway down its forearm was an oddly shaped birthmark. The elderly man recognized the marking instantly, having researched about it for years. This child's birthmark was special, so special that it had a legend around it and hadn't been seen in quite a while. Instantly, he knew what he had to do. "Daniel, you stay here with the baby and make sure it's safe. I need to go talk to Kaede, okay?" Daniel's grandfather asked.

"'Tay!" Daniel closed his lime-green eyes as a bright smile was brought to his face. He then turned back to the baby and continued playing around with it.


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Hey, everybody! Kiwiaboo speaking! I'd like to thank you for taking the time to read my story! This is the first time ever publishing a fanfiction and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! This specific story line has been in the making for who knows how long, and I've only recently built up the courage to share it with everybody! Sorry if you're a bit confused at this point! It'll make sense eventually! I'm always looking for reviews! That's how I improve my writing! For now, though, enjoy! Also! The first portion will be "following" the line of Inuyasha for a bit, with a small twist of course! So, sorry if it's slightly boring!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the amazing characters from the series of Inuyasha! All I have done is applied the story line with my own personal touch! And for the future, I do not own any of the character belonging to Pokemon!

 **Update:** Due to the restrictions on using asterisks, I will be using a horizontal bar to show scene breaks. Hopefully this solution will make the story easier to read in the future. I apologize for those who may have read the chapter before this update and got a little lost! Let me know if the horizontal bars help! Thanks!

* * *

"You say that this child may be the one from the legends?" A woman asked. She was Kaede, a forty-three year old priestess that watched over the village by the river.

"Yes, the marking is on the child's left arm and it was found in the cattails along the river." Daniel's grandfather reassured.

"If you say so, then take me to see this child, Nioku." Kaede demanded.

"As you wish, Kaede." Nioku led Kaede out of her hut in the village, guiding her back to the levy.

As the two were standing at the top of the incline, a loud cry resounded through the air. "Daniel!" Nioku shouted, spotting the young boy hugging the basket with a large, serpent-like demon looming above him.

" **Give me that infant, you impudent child!** " The overgrown snake hissed.

Daniel yelled something incoherent, pulling the baby's basket even closer to him. Nioku and Kaede stood helpless, too far away to save the two children from the attacking demon. They watched, fearing what the fate of the two small lives would be within the next few moments. As the demon prepared to strike, the basket glowed with a soft, pink light.

This light grew brighter and brighter, soon enveloping Daniel and the serpent. It spread and glowed bright enough to momentarily blind Kaede and Nioku. A loud shriek pierced through the atmosphere before ending abruptly. The light eventually faded, showing an unharmed Daniel and baby, the demon gone without a trace. "Do you still wish to see the child?" Nioku asked Kaede.

"Of course, but I now know that this _**is**_ the child of prophecy." Kaede replied, heading down the hill.

Daniel's head perked up when he heard people walking towards him and his new, baby friend. Recognizing the visitors as his grandpa and the village priestess, he went back to tickling the small child inside the woven basket. Kaede came and knelt down beside Daniel and examined the baby. "You seem to have taken a liking to this baby, huh, Daniel?" The old maid smiled at the young boy.

Daniel looked at the elder and grinned a large grin before remembering something that he'd found while his grandfather was gone. "'Is was in duh basket." He said, holding up a small piece of paper.

Kaede took the note and unfolded it, reading aloud:

 **To whomever this may concern:**

 **We must thank you for finding our child. There has been trouble in our area and we found it safest for her if we sent her away. We do hope you understand that this child is our pride and joy; we only wanted what was best for her. The only thing we ask of you is that you take care for her and love her as we would do if she were able to stay with us.**

 **Her name is Mami-Mei-Ki Shina, the princess of not only our lives, but our village here. She is bubbly and rather happy for one that is only two weeks old. Please keep her that way. Mami-Mei-Ki has been born with a special fate and destiny, as shown by the special marking on her left arm. She is unique in every way possible, and must be kept safe until fate takes its toll.**

 **Again, we thank you for the help you will provide for us.**

"Mameki!" Daniel cheered after Kaede finished reading the note.

Nioku and Kaede smiled, looking at each other for a silent question. "You already have to watch over Daniel, Nioku. I will make sure Mami-Mei-Ki is kept safe for the time being." Kaede said, answering the still unasked question.

Nioku nodded in approval to his friend's choice, turning to Daniel. "Well, Danny-Boy, I'd say it's about time we head home." Nioku stated, picking his grandchild up.

"But I wanna play with Mameki!" Daniel pouted, looking over his grandfather's shoulder back at the baby in the basket.

"We'll come visit again tomorrow, you can keep her company then."

* * *

" _Hurry up, Miamei! Let's go play by the river!" Daniel yelled._

 _The eight-year old boy's brown hair bounced up and down as we ran through the village. Kaede-san and Nioku-sama had given us permission to play on the banks of the river that ran down the middle of the town. It had been a while since Daniel and I received that opportunity, especially with what had happened our previous time there._

 _I followed the older child as we progressed towards our destination. My eyes cautiously looked around for other children once Daniel and I arrived at the river. "What are you looking so worried about, Miamei?" Daniel asked, turning around to face me._

" _Nothing." I replied softly._

" _If you're scared that some kids are going to pick on you again, don't be. I'll make sure they don't come near you."_

" _Thanks, Daniel." I smiled at my friend._

 _We continued a little way down the river before finding ourselves amongst the reeds. The sun shone brightly down on us while we played some kind of game where we pretended to be warriors fighting an army of evil demons. Daniel and I were always sure that they were evil demons because good demons like me didn't deserve to be picked on. At least, that's what Daniel had always told me._

 _Eventually, the sun sat in the middle of the sky and we climbed out of our spot in the reeds. "Stay right here, Miamei. I'm going to go get us something to eat." Daniel said before running up the hill towards the market._

 _I was obedient and took a seat on the bank. The grass felt so nice against my skin. A sudden burst of laughter came from up the river, some village kids - two boys and a girl - were sitting down having lunch. My heart sped up. What if they noticed me? Thinking fast, I tried to sneak over to the reeds. Unfortunately, my foot caught on a rock and I lost my balance, only to end up landing with a loud SPLASH! in the shallow part of the river._

" _Did you hear that?" One of the kids asked._

" _Yeah, it sounded like it came from over here." Another said._

 _Grass crunched as footsteps came closer to where I was partially hidden in the reeds. I knew that if the kids got close enough, they would notice me sitting in the water. Through the thin stalks of the water plants, I was able to see the three pairs of feet that belonged to the children. They just stood around._

 _For a moment, I believed I was safe, but then two hands reached in and parted the plants. "Oh, look what we have here!" One of the boys said. "It's the yowamushi!"_

 _Yowamushi - weakling - that's what they called me. None of the village kids thought I was the Chosen Being from the legends, they all thought I was 'too weak'. It didn't help that I believed them. I'd never experienced the 'powers' that were said to be possessed by the legendary being. There was no possible way that I could be the hero spoken of in prophecies._

" _You should just leave, Yowamushi," the girl spoke, looking menacingly at me. "Nobody in this village needs you, let alone wants you here. My mom even told me so!"_

" _Are you sure you heard her correctly? I think your mom was saying that she didn't want_ _ **you**_ _anymore." A familiar voice came from behind the trio of kids._

 _Daniel walked up to the group, our own lunch held in his hands. "It's no surprise your parents want to get rid of spoiled brats like you three, you don't even know how to show respect to the person who will one day save all of your lives." He stated calmly._

 _The trio didn't know how to react. They must not have expected Daniel to show up to save me. "Pfft! Why should we show respect to someone who's so weak?" A boy asked, unamused with Daniel's statement._

" _Miamei is not a yowamushi. The only yowamushi I see here are you three." Daniel replied._

" _What was that?"_

" _You heard me," Daniel said curtly before shoving his way through the group to reach a hand out to me. "Come on, Miamei. Let's go eat these bentos that Lady Kaede made for us."_

 _I carefully grabbed my friend's hand and he helped me out of the river. Daniel sent a glare at the trio of kids as we walked by them; the kids backed away._

 _Together, Daniel and I made our way up the hill to go find a spot to eat. Eventually, we decided on sitting beneath the mako tree. My friend kindly handed me my lunch - a bento - before opening his. "Miharu, the lady in charge of the fruit stand, actually prepared these especially for us; she's so kind." Daniel said as he popped a dumpling into his mouth._

" _Mmhmm!" I replied, already munching happily on some teriyaki._

" _Miamei?"_

" _Yeah?"_

" _Is it okay if we stay friends forever?"_

 _I could feel my heart skip a beat in my chest. Daniel was the only friend I'd ever had while living in the village; he was so special to me. A bright smile came across my face. "Yes!" I exclaimed, "Let's stay together forever!"_

My eyes opened and I found myself lying on my futon in Lady Kaede's hut. Morning sunlight shone through the window and warmed up the surrounding area. _Another dream… Or should I call that a memory?_ I pondered as I crawled out of the bedding.

As I rolled up my bedding, I continued to wonder about the dream I'd just experience. _That happened so long ago… At least eight years… It must have been right before Daniel left with his grandfather._

"So much for staying together forever, huh." I grumbled aloud.

"Don't start your morning off grumbling, Miamei, else the rest of your day will follow after." Lady Kaede suddenly said as she entered the hut. "Besides, what is there to be grumbling about so early in the day? You've just woken up and surely you aren't complaining about rolling up your futon; this is only your hundredth time putting it away."

"Good morning to you, too, Lady Kaede." I replied to the elderly woman. "I didn't mean to grumble. The dream I just awoke from reminded me of something."

My guardian responded with a hum before turning to her work at the medicinal rack. I hurriedly finished gathering up my bedding before tossing it into the corner and moving to sit beside Lady Kaede. "There's already an ill villager to attend to this morn?" I asked her.

"I'm afraid so…" Kaede mumbled in thought, "Unfortunately, we're low in supply for the herb that they'll need."

"There's enough, though, right?"

"Fortunately, yes, but we will need to restock."

The room's atmosphere suddenly went icy. "I could tend to the ill villager." I stated stonely.

"Or you could just as well gather some more herbs." Kaede replied firmly.

We glared at each other with ice cold eyes as the tension grew between us. "Saisho…" I began, knowing exactly how to handle the situation.

"Wa guu…" Kaede continued, a fire ablaze in her eyes.

"Jan…"

"Ken…"

" **Pon!** " We both exclaimed, throwing our hands out between us.

I looked down to see who had won. "No!" I cried, seeing that I'd lost.

Kaede cackled happily before turning back to the medicine shelf. "Choki beats Paa." She sang. I frowned at my elder's back before grabbing the bag that we used to gather herbs. "Be safe while in the forest! Remember you can find a plethora of those herbs in the meadow of the Goshinboku."

"Hai!" I replied as I walked out of the hut and into the sunshine for the first time that day.

Not very many of the villagers paid me any mind as I strolled down the road towards the forest. They never did really care much about me, neither of them believed that I was the 'one who would someday save the world from the Spider'. Even the evidential birthmark that wrapped around my left forearm and wrist didn't convince them. The birthmark, a light pink marking in the shape of a mythical demon called a Shinyo, was supposedly the one indication that I was the being of some legend that the villagers believed in. According to this legend, I am the 'Master' - the most powerful being to ever exist in this world. I'm part of a branch of special beings known as H.D.P.s or Human-Demon-Priests and Priestesses that have the emotions of humans, powers of demons, and spiritual abilities of priests and priestesses; only two have been known to exist at a time. Further into the legend, I'm supposed to be 'all-powerful' and 'more glorious than the sun and the moon', but I wasn't that. In fact, I was far from it. Seeing this, the villagers lost their faith in me, along with their respect. Since then, I'd been treated as an outcast ever since.

After spending some time walking through the village, I found myself standing at the edge of the forest. Somewhere among the many trees stood a tall, mystical beauty called the Goshinboku - a tree held in holiness to the villagers. This tree, supposedly touched by the gods, sits half a mile into the forest, right in the center of a lush meadow.

Five decades ago, the Goshinboku became the site where the evil half-demon Inuyasha was pinned and put under a sacred spell by the Mistress Kikyo - Lady Kaede's elder sister and previous village priestess. Though much time has passed since the event, Inuyasha is still held under Kikyo's spell; he hasn't aged or grown one bit according to Kaede. The other villagers still lived in fear that the spell would eventually break and the half-demon would yet again attack our home, but I've always held a fascination with the silver-haired being.

Nearly ten minutes after entering the woods, I came across a clearing among the trees. The clearing glowed with a mystical, yellow light. Blades of healthy, green grass covered every inch of the circular meadow. Thick bushes lined the edges, seemingly protecting the clearing from the possible harms that could come from the surrounding forest. Patches of flowers and herbs grew randomly throughout the clearing; each shone and gave off their bright colors in the peaceful lighting. At the very center of the beautiful meadow stood the steadfast, towering Goshinboku.

The Goshinboku stood a few feet taller than the trees around it. Its branches began halfway up the trunk before spreading out into leafy appendages. The canopy covered the majority of the clearing, leaving about a four foot wide ring of light around the circle. Sunlight filtered through the leaves of the Goshinboku, filling the meadow with the enchanting green light.

Towards the base of the thick trunk was Inuyasha. Just as Kaede had said, he hadn't changed one bit. The still-sleeping hanyou was pinned to the trunk by a sacred arrow that pierced his chest. He continued to hang from the tree, exactly as he has been for the last half century.

I kept my eyes trained on the unconscious Inuyasha as I crossed the meadow to the patch of herbs I needed to collect. Carefully, I gathered the medicinal plants and set them in my bag before standing up to leave. When I began walking across the grass in the direction of the village, a small whisper drifted amongst a breeze that came through the clearing.

The air became thick and heavy all of a sudden; my body was alert and on edge, as if something big was about to happen. I frantically scanned the line of trees that circled about the clearing, but nothing was there. At this point, my heart was racing in my chest. Another whisper sounded in the air; I pinpointed its origin at the Goshinboku.

Slowly, I stepped towards the sacred tree to investigate. There was nothing suspicious or out of the ordinary as far as I could tell; Inuyasha was still in his peaceful slumber. The intensity in the atmosphere did down and I turned around to leave once again. Before I could take a single step, though, a perfectly clear voice spoke into my ear.

"Miamei…" It said, "It's time to wake up."

My heart practically leapt out of my chest and I spun to face the sacred tree once again. This time, the bark of the Goshinboku shone with a bright light that gave off a rainbow of colors.

"Wh-who's there?" I asked loudly, making sure my voice carried throughout the entire meadow.

The light emanating from the bark grew brighter. Within the bright energy source, I could make-out the outline of the figure of a man; he was walking towards me as if there was a corridor of some sort within the Goshinboku.

"We have met before, Miamei, a long time ago, but you would not remember, for you were but a tiny, suckling infant. The two of us hold a connection different than any other pair in existence." The man explained, "You have a unique destiny to fulfill, yet, you have not started your journey for you have slept for too long."

"What do you mean?"

"You are an HDP, Miamei. You are the Master, but you still live as if you were born a mere human." The man said, "The part of your soul that contains the power you need in order to become what you need to has been sealed away into the depths of your heart and laid to rest."

"So, you're saying we need to unseal part of my heart? How do we do that?" I questioned, a sudden eagerness and curiosity burned inside me.

"I, being the one that put it there, can break the seal. Unfortunately, that can only be done if you truly desire it."

 _A seal on my heart and soul, huh? He claims that this seal is the reason I haven't displayed any power. Breaking this tie means changing my life forever, though. Would I have to leave the village? Leave Kaede? I can't do that, not right now._ "I'm sorry, but I'm not ready for such a burden, right now."

"I was afraid you would say that… The fate of this land lies on you, Miamei, are you sure you are going to wait?"

I hesitated for a second. "Yes…" I replied, still a little unsure of my answer.

"Very well then. The time will come when you are prepared to awaken. When that time comes, I will be there to wake you up." The voice said as it faded away.

The light emanating from the tree dimmed before completely disappearing. I felt the heat of the sun on my skin as the meadow returned to normal. _My destiny is standing directly on the other side of the walls I've built up… Should I let it in, or wait for it to break through before allowing it to swallow me whole?_ I wondered.

Pushing the questions to the back of my thoughts, I turned to leave the clearing. It never crossed my mind that the walls I'd built up would come crashing down during my next visit to the Goshinboku.


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Hey, everybody! Welcome back for the second chapter! First off, I'd like to thank you for reading this far into what I've written and published! It means so much to me to have you reading my story and I hope you continue to enjoy it! Feel free to leave a review whenever! Let me know what you think so far! Constructive criticism is welcome as well! Thanks again!

In case my formatting is a bit confusing, anything _italicized_ is typically going to be some sort of internal dialogue - either a memory, dream, or thought. As for words in **bold** those are often used for a bit of vocal emphasis. A combination of the two is used to present _**sarcasm**_.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own any characters from the original Inuyasha series, nor do I own some of the plot devices pulled from said series. For the future, I do not own any of the characters originating from the Pokemon franchise.

* * *

The day seemed to go by smoothly after my adventure into the woods. When I returned to the hut, Lady Kaede was already working with the ill villager. I quickly got to helping her by mashing up a few leaves of the herb I just gathered and making it into a rub. As one patient left, another came in; Kaede and I were kept busy all the way to lunch time. Per our typical routine, Kaede stayed behind at the hut to treat any patients we had while I left for the market to buy food for dinner later on.

The village square was much busier now than it was in the morning. People bustled about trying to get the best deals on various goods. I bought two ready-made bento from Miss Miharu, along with some beef and vegetables to make stew for dinner.

As I began to make my way out of the village center, I noticed a group of around twenty villagers gathered together. They were being rather loud and rowdy.

"What's going on over there?" I asked a random man as he walked by me.

"We've caught a trespasser; we're thinking a spy." The man replied. "She's dressed all funny like, definitely not from around these parts."

"She?"

"Yeah, the trespasser be female. Some of our men found her poking around Inuyasha and the Goshinboku. Sneaky she be."

"What are the villagers doing with her?"

"Well, fer now, we have her tied at the wrists. Better get Lady Kaede's opinion on the matter before we do anything else." The male villager stated before walking off to continue his business.

I glanced back over to the group. _It'll be a few minutes before Lady Kaede can get here… I should check it out._

Hastily, I made my way through the gathered crowd until I found myself at the very front, standing between the rowdy, yelling villagers and the "trespasser". Having been suspecting a kunoichi, I was rather surprised at the girl sitting before me. She appeared to be around my age and also looked very much like myself - black hair and brown eyes.

Her outfit was something I hadn't ever even imagined. The girl wore a strange white top that had sleeves ending at the wrists with green, as well as green around the neck. A thick red ribbon came out from beneath the green neck and was tied into a strange knot. The top was tucked into the bottom which seemed to be some kind of wrap that had multiple folds in it and ended above the knee. To finish off the oddness of her outfit, the trespasser wore long tabi that stopped just below her knees, and her feet were covered in brown zori that looked more like wooden chests than zori.

"I say we toss her in the river!" A villager shouted.

"No! We should tie her up and leave her in the forest! That way the demons can finish her off!" Another yelled.

"What if she's a demon?" A woman cried out.

With that single statement, the already noisy crowd got even noisier. I sighed and took another look at the girl. _She doesn't look like a demon… Besides, a demon would have put up a better fight… These villagers just want a reason to be violent._

Just as I thought the rowdy mob would get too out of hand, a familiar voice spoke over everybody. "All of you settle down and let me through!" Kaede's voice carried over the many others.

The group parted and Lady Kaede made her way over to where I was standing in front of the captive. "I figured you would be here, Miamei." My guardian stated, "What do we have here?"

"Well, she looks like a girl to me. Some of the villagers think she might be a spy or even a demon."

"Then we might as well find out."

The elderly woman pulled out a large sack and dug her hand inside. She pulled out a powder used for exorcising demons and tossed it at the young girl a few times. This only made the girl angry, if she wasn't already.

"I'm not a demon!" She shouted at us; villagers murmured among the crowd.

"Oh really? Then why were ye found in the forest of Inuyasha?" Kaede asked.

"What if she's a spy like some of the villagers were saying?" I whispered to my elder.

"Then she would be a fool of a ninja." Kaede grumbled.

Lady Kaede and I both turned back to the tied up girl and looked her over once again. I heard the elderly priestess take a sudden breath before she stepped forward to examine the girl. Everything was silent as Kaede inspected the captive closely. Suddenly, the older woman took a step back and turned to the crowd.

"We need not be worried. I believe this girl means us no harm. In order to keep a good watch over her, though, she will be staying with me." Kaede told the crowd.

Gasps ran throughout the group as villagers whispered to each other in shock. Kaede looked at me with a single brown eye - her other one was covered in a black eye patch due to an injury she received as a child.

"Miamei, untie this poor child and bring her back to the hut."

"Y-yes! Of course, Lady Kaede!" I replied as I bent down to undo the ropes around the mysterious girl's wrists. _I wonder what Lady Kaede is doing… Is it really safe to bring this stranger into our home?_

Once I had the girl untied, I helped her up and led her to the hut. Inside the hut, I realized that the patient Kaede had been working with before I left was gone. The elderly priestess was situation herself beside our firepit, adding kindling into the hole only after she was seated. "Miamei, let's get dinner going. What have you gone and bought for us this time?" Kaede asked, looking up at me with her one eye.

I'd totally forgotten about the food I'd shopped for and glanced down at it in my hands. "Oh, um, I thought we would have stew. Miss Miharu also gave us a couple of bento, so there's no need for rice this time." I replied to my guardian.

"Very well, then. I trust you will make a delicious meal." Kaede then shifted her gaze over to the young girl standing beside me. "Now, what is ye name, child?"

I inched away from the girl in order to begin working on dinner as she replied. "My name is Kagome Higurashi. Where am I?"

"Kagome… What an interesting name. You are in the village of Edo. Did you stray from a nearby village?"

"Did you say Edo? That must mean… Could I have traveled back in time?" Kagome looked at the elderly priestess. "I'm not from another village, let alone this era. I remember falling into a well at my family's shrine, and when I climbed out, I found myself in the forest."

"The well?" I piped up from my new position beside Kaede; I was busy starting a fire to cook the stew. "Do you think she could be talking about the Bone Eater's Well?"

"'Tis the only well I know of in the surrounding woods, so I assume so." Kaede stated thoughtfully. "Kagome, the villagers said ye were found by the Goshinboku. Is this true?"

"Is that the large tree with the sleeping boy?"

"Yea. That boy's name is Inuyasha and he be a half-demon."

"H-he's a demon?" Kagome exclaimed, shock widening her eyes.

"Actually, he's just a half-demon - a being made of half human blood and half demon blood." I replied as I set a pot on my now blistering fire.

"But still a demon nonetheless, which is why the local villagers were so wary of your snooping around him. It doesn't help that these lands are being scarred with wars as we speak. Kingdoms are fighting among themselves and demons have made more attacks on villages than history has ever seen. Spies come and go on a frequent basis, trying to find a weak point in their enemies' defenses. Our village is very cautious about the possibility that Inuyasha may be reawakened in order to attack us." Kaede explained to Kagome.

"This sounds an awful lot like the warring era…" Kagome mumbled to herself. "This Inuyasha guy, what's the deal with him? I know he's a half-demon and all, but how long has he been asleep?"

"Hasn't it been around fifty years now, Lady Kaede?" I asked my elder.

"It doesn't seem like it has been that long, but I believe it has." Kaede replied, "Inuyasha used to terrorize Edo. The village priestess at the time - my elder sister Kikyo - used the rest of her strength to pin him to the tree and place him under a spell. That spell is what keeps him asleep to this day, but we never know when it may break."

More questions were passed back and forth among our trio. Kagome did her best to learn about this history of our small village. She eventually came to the conclusion that she had traveled back nearly five hundred years from her time. Apparently, her family had recently moved into a shrine that would sit where we're at and she had accidentally fallen into the well inside one of the shrine buildings. It was a bit hard to wrap my mind around the fact that she had come from a time in the future. What was it like?

The sky outside of the hut darkened just as the stew finished. We all sat around the warmth of the fire and ate the hot meal. Our conversation didn't stop when dinner was served. Kagome began learning more about Kaede and myself. My elder told the story of how she lost her right eye to a demon when she was a child; this occurred only a few weeks before Lady Kikyo passed away. We also heard about the many duties Kaede had as the village priestess - they went from simple tasks such as healing the sick and placing offerings up at the temple to exorcising and protecting the village from demons.

Once we were done eating, Kaede and I began cleaning up and washing the dishes. As I reached to take Kagome's bowl, the sleeve of my shirt slid down my arm to reveal my birthmark. The pinkish marking didn't go unnoticed by the girl and she quickly grabbed me by the wrist. "What is this?" She asked curiously, looking up at me with questions in her eyes.

"It's just my birthmark," I replied quietly, withdrawing my arm from Kagome's grasp. "I've had it since I was a baby."

"That isn't a normal birthmark."

"You're very right, Kagome." Kaede interjected. "In your time, are there stories about HDPs?"

"Stories? They're more like myths than anything. Nobody believes them anymore." Kagome suddenly looked back at me. "Are you an HDP?"

"Supposedly, yes."

"Supposedly? What do you mean by that?"

"Miamei contains the marking of a very special kind of HDP. Legend has it that she is the one who will cleanse the world from darkness. Unfortunately, even as times get darker, Miamei has struggled to fulfill the role her destiny has presented her with." Lady Kaede explained.

"In other words, my HDP bucket isn't full. I haven't experienced any of the powers that I'm said to hold. I'm pretty much as human as anybody else in this village."

"Your powers will come, Miamei. Remember to be patient."

I was suddenly reminded of my experience at the Goshinboku. _It's time to wake up... The part of your soul that contains the power you need in order to become what you need to has been sealed away into the depths of your heart and laid to rest. I can break that seal…_

The ground beneath us began to shake and villagers were heard shouting outside. "What is all of that noise about at this time of night?" Kaede asked, standing up onto her feet.

"An earthquake, maybe?" Kagome thought aloud.

"More likely demons than an earthquake, to be honest, Kagome." I replied, following my elder out of the hut.

Outside, we were able to see what was causing the commotion. A couple huts down, a large demon was attacking the villagers. The demon had the top half of a woman with six arms and long black hair that blended in with the night sky, just below her navel, her body changed into that of a long centipede. She slithered between the huts and crashed into the wooden structures. A young warrior on a horse was doing his best to fight off the demon, only to have his noble steed picked up and thrown into the air. The beast landed on the ground before us, completely still.

"It's the demon that I saw in the well!" Kagome shouted.

" _That's_ the one? Are you sure it wasn't something a bit smaller and much less harmful?" I questioned. "What do you think it wants?"

Suddenly, the demon's attention was drawn to us and she smiled darkly. "You, human." She spoke, her black eyes focused on Kagome. "You have what I desire. Give it to me. Give me the Sacred Jewel!"

The demon dove in our direction. All three of us ducked down just in time and the creature flew right over our heads. Fellow villagers had begun to gather around. Arrows flew from their bows at they tried to scare the evil being away.

 _Did it just say 'Sacred Jewel'? Wasn't that destroyed fifty years ago?_ I wondered, Apparently, Kaede was just as curious as I was.

"It said 'Sacred Jewel'... Do ye have it in your possession, child?" The priestess asked Kagome.

"I-I don't know. I've only ever heard of it, I haven't ever actually seen the thing." Kagome replied.

"Whether or not you truly have the Jewel doesn't matter, this demon is going to destroy the entire village trying to get it." I stated. "There must be something we can do to stop its rampage."

"Lady Kaede!" A village man shouted, running towards us followed by another male. "We've tried everything! Arrows! Swords! Even fire! Nothing is working against this beast!"

The old priestess thought deeply for but a moment before looking around at all of us with her good eye. "Then we must lead it to the Bone Eater's Well, maybe we can trap it back from whence it came."

"That's the well that I climbed out of! I'll lead it away!" Kagome exclaimed, running off before anybody could stop her.

"Kagome, wait up!" I yelled, chasing after her.

"Miamei, hold on! Get back here where it's safe!" Kaede shouted.

Following my elder's orders, I went against my instincts to follow after my new friend and shuffled back to Kaede's side. I watched hopelessly as the demon stalked Kagome's trail.

"We can't just let Kagome run off on her own, especially with that creature tracking her down!" I cried out.

"Hush, child. We will not allow Kagome to fend for herself." Kaede responded as a villager walked up with a herd of horses. "After that demon!"

Stammering up onto one of the horses, I rode with my fellow villagers towards the forest. Ahead of us, we could see the last segment of the demon's centipede body as it slither between the tree. _This isn't the direction of the well…_ I thought, _We're headed right towards the Goshinboku!_

Still many yards ahead, through the trees where the Goshinboku was located, a green light emanated from the meadow. "Lady Kaede, that's not normal, is it?" I asked the elderly priestess who rode beside me.

"Nay. Something stranger than what we had anticipated must be happening." She replied, staring intently at the light before us.

Soon, we arrived in the clearing where the Sacred Tree stood tall in the very center. Kagome was positioned beside the tree and the centipede demon had poised to attack. Villagers threw their spears at the beast in an attempt to still its movements.

Kagome appeared to be yelling something at somebody. It was only then that I realized the once frozen form of Inuyasha had begun to move. The half-demon had awoken, but remained pinned to the tree, rendering him immobile.

"Lady Kaede…" I began.

"I know, child. Inuyasha is still alive, even after all of these years." Kaede spoke, her eye trained on the form of the half-demon.

Suddenly, activity came from the centipede demon. The creature shot towards Kagome, arms outstretched to grab the young girl. Kagome screamed and held her hand out, causing a bright light to fill the meadow. The strange power that emanated from Kagome's hand was enough to detach the demon's arms, but not enough to stop it. Strong jaws clenched around Kagome's side, ripping at the flesh and cloth.

"Kagome!" I shouted, nearly running out to save my friend despite the fact that I carried no weapon.

As Kagome cried out in pain, the demon released her, dropping her to the ground. From her wound, a small pink marble flew out from Kagome.

"Could it truly be…?" I gasped.

"'Tis, Miamei. That is the Shikon Jewel." Kaede replied, staring in awe at the tiny jewel.


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Welcome to Chapter 3! Can I just express how awesome I think you are for coming this far? It's amazing to think that anybody would take their time to read this far. Thank you! I feel the need to apologize since the story has followed pretty closely to the anime for these last few chapters. Just keep pushing through, I promise it'll start branching off more! If you have anything to say, please leave a review! I love hearing thoughts and opinions; constructive criticism is more than welcome!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own any character or idea belonging to the Inuyasha or Pokemon franchises.

* * *

Before anybody could react, the centipede demon constricted Kagome and Inuyasha to the Goshinboku and gobbled up the Shikon Jewel. My heart raced as I watched the severed arms attach to their rightful spots. The demon shed its skin to reveal a more horrifying form.

"What are we going to do, my Lady? There's no way we can defeat this demon now…" I stated solemnly.

" _You could fight, Miamei."_ A voice spoke from throughout the meadow.

Surprised, I looked around to see who had just talked, but everybody was still concerned with the situation at hand and not even paying any mind to me. Figuring the voice had been a simple figment of my imagination, I too turned my attention to the tree. I saw Kagome reaching for the arrow that kept Inuyasha pinned to the trunk. Was she really going to pull it out?

"Nay, child! If you remove that arrow, Inuyasha will be free to destroy us all!" Kaede yelled at the girl.

Ignoring the words of the priestess, Kagome grasped the arrow. A pink light erupted from the wooden shaft before the arrow completely dissolved into thin air. With the arrow now gone, Kikyo's spell was broken and Inuyasha was freed.

Demonic energy could be seen pulsing from the half-breed as Inuyasha's powers returned to him. He chuckled to himself before laughing maniacally at the centipede monster. Within moments, Inuyasha had ripped the demon apart into many pieces that now littered the grass of the meadow.

"Quick, we must find the Sacred Jewel before Mistress Centipede regenerates." Kaede announced, searching among the many body parts.

Kagome pointed at a specific piece and Kaede moved to retrieve the small jewel, causing the body of the demon to dissolve, leaving behind skeletal remains. Seeing that the danger was now gone, I sighed with relief before hopping off of my horse.

"How did this get into my body?" Kagome asked, now holding the Shikon Jewel in her hand. "Why would I have a something that is so sought after by demons?"

"Exactly. It's not like you're capable of using it or anything." Inuyasha spoke, crushing a bone with his foot.

I tensed at the sight of the moving half-demon. He was more dangerous than the centipede.

"Be a good girl and hand over the Jewel." The silver-haired boy demanded.

"Don't do it, Kagome. He'll only destroy us in the end." Kaede countered.

Inuyasha frowned. "It looks like I'll just have to take it by force." He stated, cracking his knuckles and preparing to lunge at Kaede and Kagome.

"No!" I shouted.

My body moved on its own accord. I found myself jumping through the air to get between my elder and my friend in an attempt to protect them from attacking half-demon. Claws slashed down my back, tearing through the skin. Immediately, blood soaked my clothing and I could feel my life drain from me.

"Miamei!" Both Kaede and Kagome shouted, villagers gasped in shock.

I collapsed to the ground, unable to move. Never had I suffered from an injury so severe, let alone thrown myself in front of hostile demon before.

"Foolish girl. A weakling like you didn't stand a chance against me. You shouldn't have tried to be so heroic by jumping in like that." Inuyasha spat, standing over me.

 _I… I need to stop him before he hurts anybody else… But… I'm too weak… There's no way I can defeat Inuyasha…_

"It's time to wake up, Miamei."

 _That voice… It's the same one as earlier…_ I recognized, shifting my eyes towards the Goshinboku. The bark was glowing with aura as it had done before, walking from the tree in my direction was the same personage. They knelt on the ground beside me.

"Innocent people will be injured if you do not wake up, Miamei." The man spoke softly; it seemed nobody else in the meadow could see or hear him aside from myself. Time appeared to slow itself as our conversation continued.

 _But… How can I save everybody… I'm just one person…_

"Have faith in yourself. You are not alone, child."

 _Then… Then grant me the strength I need to protect those closest to me. Provide to me the power I'll need to protect this land._

"Do you accept your fate, Miamei?"

 _Yes! Break the seal on my heart and soul so that I can claim my title as an HDP!_

"Then as the creator of this seal, I release thee, Miamei. Go and change the fate of this world with your own."

Without a moment's hesitation, the ethereal man reached out and tapped two fingers to my forehead. A wave of energy spread from the single spot, followed by another and then another. Although strength was returning to my limbs, my vision began to fade. _Was I too late?_ I pondered, as my eyes blacked out.

Little had I known just how drastically my body was changing at the time. The gashes on my back seemed to magically seal shut, as if the injury had never occurred in the first place. Through locks of hair atop my head poked a pair of triangular ears, similar to those found on the half-demon Inuyasha.

Though I was currently blind, I could feel the changes happening. In the black nothingness of my vision, colors appeared and danced before my eyes before transforming into humanoid shapes. Various shades and hues represented each person, and even the trees and plants of the forest appeared. I was able to witness the world in a new way.

Still collapsed on the ground, I identified Inuyasha as an angry red being facing off against a shimmering silver personage and a playful yellow one - who I assumed to be Lady Kaede and Kagome respectively. Ignoring the aches within my bones, I found the strength to stand back on my own two feet again. My newly grown ears that had replaced my original human ones picked up on the shocked whisperings of the villagers escorting Lady Kaede.

"Miamei!" Kagome exclaimed happily, though I could hear the distress lacing her voice.

"You're still able to stand? What a surprise." Inuyasha stated, turning back around to face me. He appeared to falter for a second when his eyes met me. "I hadn't realized you were secretly a demon. Since when did these villagers start keeping a demon around to protect them?

"It doesn't really matter to me. Demon or not, I will take you down!" The half-demon growled before leaping into the air to attack.

Following instincts that I had been unaware of having, I leaped into the air as well. A clawed hand stretched out for me once more, only to miss as I smoothly shifted away. With the motion of one quick swipe of my hand, I sent Inuyasha crashing to the ground before landing lightly before the group of villagers.

Dazed by the sudden counter, Inuyasha lay stunned in the lush grass of the meadow. Kaede moved swiftly and tossed a string of beads around his neck. "Now, Kagome! Say the words!" The elderly woman cried out.

Firmly and with much confidence, Kagome shouted out a word of command. "Sit!" She yelled, activating the beads around Inuyasha's neck.

The beads glowed with a faint purple light before driving Inuyasha further into the ground. Unimpressed and angered even further with the women's tricks, Inuyasha growled and tried to stand back up.

"Again, Kagome." Kaede demanded.

"Sit!" The young girl ordered, causing the beads to glow again, casting Inuyasha face first into the dirt.

Frustrated with the new situation thrust upon him, Inuyasha growled and clawed at the accessory, only to receive a shock from the enchanted necklace. "What kind of curse have you laid upon me, you hags?" He growled.

"One to keep you from acting out. Now settle yourself, lest we must slay you." Kaede explained.

Seeing that they were now out of danger, the village priestess turned to look at me. The colors representing each person began to fade and my normal vision returned to normal. I glanced down to notice the birthmark around my wrist was glowing with a pulsing pink light which dissipated after a few seconds. As I returned my attention to the villagers, my guardian had stepped forward. Kagome ran out from the group to hug me tightly. Though we had just me hours before, I already felt a close attachment to the girl.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Miamei! I don't know what I would have done if you died saving me!" She cried out, pulling away to get a better look at me. "What happened? You've changed."

"It appears our young heroine has finally gained access to her prophesied power." Kaede observed before turning back around to face her fellow villagers. "Before us this eve stands our hero, our protector, our HDP. Long live Miamei!"

"Long live Miamei!" The villagers shouted before bending their knees and lowering their heads in a humble bow.

I gulped. I'd known about the respect I was supposed to have, but this would definitely take some getting used to. After a moment of silence, the villagers stood and got back to work. They bound Inuyasha's hands and dragged him back to our small home. With nowhere else to toss the half-demon and Kagome being the one with the precious command, Kaede ended up accepting the responsibility of watching over the vengeful boy. With Kagome and now Inuyasha staying in our hut, things were sure to get interesting from that night on.

* * *

When I awoke at dawn, Kagome and Inuyasha were still snoozing away, as was Lady Kaede. The events of the previous day must have worn the already tired priestess. Slipping out of my futon, I managed to sneak out of the hut without awakening any of my bedmates. The village was as peaceful as ever in the slow movement of morning.

I wandered along the familiar dirt roads as the cold winter air nipped at the tips of my new ears. After a while of aimless walking, I found myself standing at the top of the hill that sloped down towards the river - the same river that I had been found floating down as an infant in a basket all those years ago. How had I ended up here? Where did I come from?

Ignoring the questions that had popped up in my mind, I turned my back on my origin to take in the atmosphere of the still waking village. One by one, villagers shuffled out of their huts to begin their day. Some walked towards the town center to begin setting up their shops while others started the long trek out to the fields to tend to crops. Even after the events of last night, life continued on like it normally did; that is, except for one thing.

As I strolled by people I'd known for years at this point - people that had once looked down at me and shunned me - they all lowered their heads as if to bow to me. Not a single soul ignored my presence and took a moment to show their respects. Unsure of how to react to this sudden onslaught, I politely bowed back before briskly walking away. Uncomfortable with the change in the way I was treated, I decided to return to Kaede's hut.

"Ah, we were wondering when you would return, child." My elder commented upon my arrival inside her hut. She sat by the firepit with a boiling pot of rice while Kagome busied herself with rolling up the futons. Inuyasha was silently sitting in the corner, his face showed he still wasn't happy with his situation. "You must hurry and eat, for there is much to do today." Kaede stated, scooping some rice into a wooden bowl before handing it to me.

"What do you need me to do? Gather more herbs? Run around the village to check on how yesterday's patients are faring?" I questioned, breaking an egg over my rice before mixing it all together.

"None of those are as important as what I will be having you do." She replied, serving up bowls to our guests.

"What's more important than taking care of the ill?"

"The elders of the village are gathering together at the temple to discuss events that they deem most crucial. You, Miamei, have been invited to sit in. Rather, you have been ordered to sit in." Kaede explained.

"Why must I sit in on a meeting specifically for the elders? I've never been required to do so." I retorted, more shocked than anything.

"You gained access to your powers last evening, did you not? As our only protection against the true evils poisoning this land, it is dire that you participate and even help design the plans for our village. Do you understand, child?"

I hung my head slightly. "Yes, I understand completely."

"What would you like me to do, Lady Kaede? Would you like me to fill in for you and Miamei today? I don't know much about healing, but I can identify herbs if you show them to me first." Kagome cut in, optimism thick in her young voice.

"Nay, your only duty is to make sure that half-demon doesn't stir up any trouble." Kaede ordered, glancing over at the still pouting Inuyasha.

"As if I could stir up trouble with this stupid piece of jewelry around my neck." The silver-haired boy grumbled.

I laughed lightly, earning a dark glare from the half-demon. "Just you wait," Inuyasha began, his golden eyes digging into me. "You may have grown up with these villagers, but in all honesty, they're terrified of you. They'll tie you down and lock you in a cage before you know it. You're no different than I am, demon."

"Miamei's the best demon I've ever met. There's no reason for her to be locked up like an animal." Kagome snapped at the half-demon in my defense. "You on the other hand…"

"Why I ought to-" Inuyasha growled.

"Sit!"

A loud thud sounded through the hut as the magic necklace around Inuyasha's neck sent him to the ground. I flinched at the thought of how painful that must have been, only to turn to face Kaede. "The elders won't choose to imprison me, will they?" I asked.

"I assure you, child, that would be the last thing they decide upon. All of them may be secretly concerned about the power you contain becoming uncontrollable, but that is no reason to cast you into a cage." Kaede explained. "Your destiny is too great to keep you idle within a dungeon. The only way we'll know what they want to do is to attend this meeting. Now, eat up. We are expected to be to the temple soon."

I nodded, bringing another bite of rice to my mouth. ' _They're terrified of you… You're no different than I am,_ _ **demon**_ _.' Am I really such a monster?_ I thought, Inuyasha's words echoing inside my head. _Did I make the wrong choice by accepting my fate? Will I be shunned for who I am?_

As we finished up breakfast, Kagome offered to clean up for us. While she gathered up the dishes, Inuyasha went to go lay down in his corner. Apparently, Kagome was going to take the boy for a walk around the village while Kaede and I were busy. Seeing that everything would be fine in our household, my elder and I gathered a couple of things together before making our way out of the hut.

Outside, I brought my attention to the temple that loomed above us, situated on the hill behind Kaede's hut. The beautiful work of architecture had always been a pleasure to admire throughout my childhood, but now held a more ominous atmosphere to it. I had never been more terrified of the building.

"Remember, these are your elders, Miamei. Be respectful and don't speak out of turn." Kaede stated firmly as we began our trek up the many stone stairs.

"Yes, Lady Kaede." I replied.

"Always address them with the correct title."

"I understand."

"And, Miamei…" Kaede's pace slowed before she came to a stop.

I, too, stopped my ascent and stood a few steps ahead of my elder. I turned to face Kaede; she had a stern expression. "Lady Kaede?" I asked when she didn't continue. "Is something the matter?"

"Miamei, no matter the outcome of this meeting, whether it is good or bad, I want you to remember just how much I care about you. I'll only support whichever option I feel is best for you." She explained.

It took me a moment to realize exactly what the shrine maiden had meant. When it finally dawned on me, I couldn't prevent the smile from showing on my face. "Of course. Thank you, Milady."

Kaede returned my smile with her own before she continued the climb towards the temple. "Now, hustle, child. We must make haste. It would be unfortunate and dishonorable if we were to be late."


End file.
